OPPONENTS of the Abbot Point expansion have gathered for a last stand against the proposed dumping of dredge spoil on the Great Barrier Reef.

The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority is still on track to make a decision by Friday on whether to allow three million tonnes of sediment to be deposited offshore, as part of the controversial port project.

The large-scale project was approved in December by Environment Minister Greg Hunt, subject to strict environmental conditions.

GBRMPA will have the final say, however, on whether the dredging should go ahead.

Green groups, the fishing and tourism industries have opposed the development out of concern it could threaten water quality within the marine park.

Campaign group GetUp delivered a petition signed by 72,524 people to GBRMPA's head office in Townsville yesterday. GetUp campaigner Sam Regester said the petition showed how concerned people were about the port expansion's impact on the reef.

"What we've got is not just a few people clicking on screens or typing their names into a field,'' he said.

"We've got people getting on the streets in Brisbane, in Far North Queensland, in Victoria - all across Australia.

"People are ready to do anything they can to stop this project happening."

North Queensland Conservation Council co-ordinator Wendy Tubman said GBRMPA would face a severe public backlash if it approved the offshore dumping of the dredge spoil.

"I think a lot of people would be devastated and completely surprised if GBRMPA were to allow this,'' she said.

"They don't see this as the role of the marine park authority and they want the reef there for their children and their grandchildren."

She said green groups would consider taking extra steps, including legal action, if the reef authority chose to approve the dumping permit.

There are concerns the offshore dumping will impact the World Word II wreck of a Catalina off Bowen's coast, and nearby Holbourne Island.

North Queensland Bulk Ports has said the conditions of Mr Hunt's approval for Abbot Point required the corporation and proponents to undertake a Disposal Site Analysis Plan (DSAP) with the purpose of identifying a dumping site which offered the best environmental and social outcome.

Queensland Resources Council chief executive Michael Roche has urged GBRMPA to make its decision based on scientific evidence, rather than online campaigns by "anti-coal and anti-gas activists".

If the expansion goes ahead, an extra 70 million tonnes of coal each year would go through the port.

Comments on this story

Gary Posted at 10:45 AM January 28, 2014

The implications for the Port of Townsville and the livelihoods of North Queenslanders has been conveniently overlooked in this campaign being run out of the Netherlands and the USA. A factual analysis of the threats to the reef was released by the Australian Institute of Marine Science in October 2012. Neither port dredging nor shipping was called out as a threat.

Jim (Dingo Jim) Mitchell of NW Qld Posted at 9:47 AM January 28, 2014

Perhaps the State Govt. should consider laws similar to the anti bikie laws to prevent these groups delaying lawful developments and holding the developers to ransom.

Jeffrey of Australia Posted at 11:02 AM January 26, 2014

I wonder how many duplicates are on the petition and how many cats and dogs names... This is much needed and anyone who is against it should move away.